Unfocusing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The action of making something less clear or precise
2. The process of losing clarity or sharpness in vision or perception
3. A state in which the point of focus becomes indistinct or blurry

Etymology: "Unfocus" is built from the prefix "un-", meaning "not" or "reverse of", attached to "focus." The base word goes back to Latin "focus," which meant "hearth" or "fireplace," and it was used figuratively for a central point. Early modern scientists adopted it for the point where light rays converge, so "focus" carries a physical image of rays gathered to a single spot. Putting the prefix on that base gives a verb meaning to undo the focus, letting an image or attention slide out of its sharp point. The "un-" prefix is productive in English, so this formation is a plain, transparent one: the process of losing a focus is the literal reverse of achieving one.

Synonyms: blur, distract, confuse

Antonyms: focusing, clarifying